Question My PC cannnot see other PCs on wireless network, Win 10

REALOldNick

Distinguished
Mar 16, 2013
76
1
18,535
I found a promising thread bit Woops! It could not be found.
my specs are below

Firstly,
I can activate a wireless printer on the network. Can't print because it says, across the network, that it has run out of toner, but it is connecting.
If I log into the router, it shows a list of 5 connected devices.

I am trying to access another Win 10 PC on our home network.
I tried clicking on Network in Windows Explorer.
- Only my own machine (Nick-PC) shows up.

Both machines are Win 64.
Both machines are using the same router and 28.GHz band. They are both connected and can use the Internet.
Network Discovery is on
File and printer sharing is on.

Any help appreciated

Nick

MODEM: RM5120W-080 supplied bu NBN Australia
ROUTER: ArcherVR1600v V2.0 supplied by NBN Australia

NETWORK ADAPTOR: Qualcomm Atheros AR9287 Wireless Network Adaptor

SYSTEM:

OS Name Microsoft Windows 10 Home
Version 10.0.19044 Build 19044
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name NICK-PC
System Manufacturer Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
System Model P55A-UD3R
System Type x64-based PC
System SKU
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 870 @ 2.93GHz, 2927 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Award Software International, Inc. F13, 17/09/2010
SMBIOS Version 2.4
Embedded Controller Version 255.255
BIOS Mode Legacy
BaseBoard Manufacturer Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
BaseBoard Product P55A-UD3R
BaseBoard Version
Platform Role Desktop
Secure Boot State Unsupported
PCR7 Configuration Binding Not Possible
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume2
Locale Australia
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "10.0.19041.1806"
User Name Nick-PC\Nick
Time Zone W. Australia Standard Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 8.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 7.99 GB
Available Physical Memory 2.23 GB
Total Virtual Memory 23.6 GB
Available Virtual Memory 8.80 GB
Page File Space 15.6 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
Kernel DMA Protection Off
Virtualization-based security Not enabled
Device Encryption Support Reasons for failed automatic device encryption: TPM is not usable, PCR7 binding is not supported, Hardware Security Test Interface failed and device is not Modern Standby, Un-allowed DMA capable bus/device(s) detected, TPM is not usable
Hyper-V - VM Monitor Mode Extensions Yes
Hyper-V - Second Level Address Translation Extensions Yes
Hyper-V - Virtualization Enabled in Firmware Yes
Hyper-V - Data Execution Protection Yes
 

REALOldNick

Distinguished
Mar 16, 2013
76
1
18,535
OK, Crudely I disabled the firewall on my PC and managed to see one of he other PCs.

In awed whisper...it was actually the PC I wanted!

I then set the folder I wanted to share, on the other PC, and all seems good. I can see that folder on my PC.
Strangely, the Firewall reinstated itself after 15 minutes, but I could still the other PC. If that does not stick then I will need to check configuring my firewall.
 
Windows tends to be too smart sometimes. The firewall setting for that network likely are set to public, it thinks you are directly connected to the internet. If you can change the setting to private network....which in effect almost turns the firewall off.
 

REALOldNick

Distinguished
Mar 16, 2013
76
1
18,535
OK point taken.

However I use Comodo CIS as my security, at the very least because of the things you say. and its configuration is just a teeeny bit more complex than WinDoze's :D.. in fact it can be a real pain.
 
Most the actual firewall functions are pretty worthless. It would be extremely rare for another machine to attack from your own internal home lan. A true firewall is really only used in server environment where you are intentionally exposing the device to the internet.

Pretty much everything else and where the true risks are involve is malware and virus protection which tend to be different software since it is more application level rather than at low level network levels. Then again they are never going to stop the largest security risk which is the lazy person behind the keyboard that clicks "yes" please install some app that steals all my information. :)
 

REALOldNick

Distinguished
Mar 16, 2013
76
1
18,535
Yeah but disabling the FW when I still have the Net available is my idea of a rude approach. I let it stay at its default of 15 minutes and as soon as I have a result I set it on again.

But yeah intra-network firewall is probably redundant.
- I see one risk in that until I check every machine in the LAN for internet safety, there is a risk of attack from one machine to another, surely. In these days of mobile phones and etc, I at least keep my LAN severely passworded in case a visitor cracks in, even by accident.